Checklist for Emergencies: Initial Response
In the event of an emergency that threatens library collections, take the following steps:
Step 1 – Make sure staff members are safe.
Take appropriate measures to protect the lives and health of all staff members, including your own.
Call 911 or University police (HUPD (617) 495-1212) for fire and other life safety threats.
Step 2 – Make a rapid assessment of the building emergency. Notify facilities management and your managers.
If you do not receive a response from Facilities, call the University Operations Center (617) 495-5560.
Step 3 – Briefly assess and document the extent and severity of collections damage.
How much is damaged (in logarithmic terms: a shelf, a row, a room, etc.)?
Step 4 – Protect the collections from further damage.
Take appropriate steps to protect the collections, for example, cover them with plastic sheeting or funnel dripping water into a trash can.
Step 5 – Notify LCET (Harvard Library-wide Library Collections Emergency Team).
- LCET Cell Phone (617) 240-2500.
- Alternatively, during business hours, you may call the Weissman Preservation Center: (617) 495-8596 or Collections Care: (617) 496-2403.
Step 6 – Stabilize the storage environment to prevent mold.
- Once Facilities managers have stopped the source of the emergency, work with them to lower temperature below 70 degrees F if possible
- Lower relative humidity below 50% ASAP, and preferably below 35% to dry out the space
- Move air gently through affected areas
- Consult Preservation Services about environment needs for specific formats.
Step 7 – Refine your assessment of damage to the collection(s).
Identify the types of materials damaged, and estimate quantities:
- Bound volumes
- Bound volumes with coated paper
- Unbound paper
- Microforms
- Photographic prints and negatives
- Videotape, audio tape
- Motion picture film
- Handheld digital media
- Other
Identify the nature of the damage, e.g., materials might be:
- Damp
- Wet
- Stuck or sticky
- Mold
- Mildew odor
- Smoke damaged
- Fire damaged
- Dirty
- Contaminated by bacteria or other chemicals
Photograph affected locations, formats, items.
Step 8 – Determine if an outside commercial response service is required.
Library’s administration, in consultation with LCET (HL-wide Library Collections Emergency Team), determines if the type or amount of collection damage exceeds the Library’s capacity to recover. Typically anything more than 200 books is referred to a vendor.
Step 9 – If an outside service is required, arrange for purchase of services.
Library’s administration contacts the appropriate offices:
- Financial services
- Insurance office
Step 10 – If an outside service is not required, implement salvage activities.
Your repository’s local Emergency Response Team should, in consultation with the Harvard Library-wide Library Collections Emergency Team):
- Gather salvage supplies
- Remove damaged collections to a safe location, keeping good records of what is moved
- Salvage damaged items
Step 11 – Keep detailed records.
Record:
- Areas/ranges affected
- Items affected
- Locations of items being salvaged
- Salvage methods